Clive
@JC - Nope, Plymouth is not in my travel plan at all if I can help it. Preferred/fastest route for me is A303-A30 direct to Cornwall. In fact selfishly Clive would greatly benefit from A303 upgrading. However, would hate to see Blackdown hills desecrated . Nevertheless, I do support a 2.5mile tunnel under Stonehenge + Winterbourne Stoke by-pass to give logical clear run to A36.
@michaelclayson : 1. Exactly so, provided it actually happens to the existing line, in its entirety, including electrification. 2. At a time of supposedly cutting carbon emissions it seems odd that finding money for the A303 is less questioned than for railways? 3. Spend on railways is vital to boosting growth in the economy, so there is a payback to be had. 4. Whilst 'save the ...
@JC - It does not follow that 'highest revenue' is anything like as high as it could or should be.
@wondering - i do hope the council have the basic common sense not to further worsen their record of shortsightedness by the proposed bere alston to tavistock line also having approved houses or other build environment located right behind the new buffers and so preventing future extensions.
@wondering - the real crime with closing meldon to bere alston was the council's failure to secure the formation of this mainline route. then just to top it all, they saw fit to build their offices right on top of it in tavistock.
@Margaret - Signalling problems can affect trains over a very wide area, far beyond their epi-centre. In future, it is possible that problems as far as Cornwall could be blamed on issues at DIDCOT!!! When current modernisation is complete that is where the nearest signal box will be (preservation lines excepted).
Oh that is depressing, are we subscribing to a reality where the Beeching theory remains alive and well that 'duplicate lines' should be discontinued ..... so best not tempt fate ..... To clarify, the economics of maintaining a sole line through Dawlish rest not on it being ring fenced as 'the route' to Plymouth, but on it being one fit for the 21st century, robust to climate ...
Apart from playing 'Queen Canute' what is your solution JC? Carry on 'as is' and stiffle the economy of the SW? My only wish is to have a robust line capable of being electrified. Am perfectly happy to see that happen through a very serious upgrade of the wall.
Ref. the Frome debate - There is a particular irony to all the heated comments on this one. The history of Frome's current topology is that in 1933 a by-pass route was constructed by the GWR enabling through traffic to speed up by avoiding Frome Station. The Frome loop then being reduced by Beeching to a meagre single track in the 1960s. Despite its 26000 populaton Frome is now left with ...
Please note that as a matter of fact Plymouth station is the highest revenue earner west of Dawlish and is the highest inland revenue raiser. QED you probably would have lost your line years ago without them. And you certainly wouldn't have got it re-built in double quick time last spring.
